2goldengirl

What happens with anchovies when you cook them in a skillet like this is that they fall apart and just become that "extra something" in the dish. Especially good in anything with tomatoes. One of my current favorites is anything in tomato sauce. Later today I'm going to poach an egg in tomato sauce. With garlic. And anchovies. I'm sorry I missed this party yesterday, I was at a daylong conference. One thing I'm dealing with is that Huz doesn't eat well if I don't cook, and I'm eating so little (and on soft foods still). One thing I did last weekend was cook a big batch of black Beans, and another of brown rice. I put them in 1/2 cup portions in baggies, then in a big bag in the freezer. We always have shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream in the house, so he can make himself a burrito bowl any time. This weekend I'm going to make some salsa chicken that we can both eat, and I'll freeze some of that for bowls, too. I have an Instant Pot, which means the beans took 6 minutes, the rice 22 minutes, and the chicken will be 15 minutes. It's also very handy for cooking Proteins to be soft-foods friendly.

And by the time you're back from your cruise, they'll be too big, along with a lot of other things in your closet. What a great problem to have! My favorite dress slacks, which I hadn't been able to wear in about four years, passed this week from "wearable" to "WAY too big". Enjoy your cruise and Happy Anniversary!

Welcome! The preop diet phase is as much a mind game as it is a physical preparation for surgery. For (perhaps) the first time, you're given very firm restrictions on what you may or may not eat and drink - and there are potentially serious consequences for not adhering to the instructions. It's a boundary a lot of us have trouble with. That said, here are some real truths about it. First, the first three days are the hardest. After that, a lot of us find that hunger really diminshes, which helps. But the "head hunger" you've no doubt read about can really play with you here. It's a good time to have some internal conversations about the way your head can really try to trip you up in your journey. Any internal work you can do during this phase to understand the reasons your head may be clamoring for some specific food though you've just filled your stomach with a Protein shake or whatever, it time well spent. Third, getting nervous, panicky, jittery, whatever term you want to use as you march closer to your new life is entirely normal. It doesn't happen to all of us (it didn't to me), but If you start second guessing yourself or focusing on the negatives during this time - remind yourself: it's part of the process. Breathe. It will be OK! Good luck, and check in here as often as you need to. There is a lot of support for you here!

Good luck!

Congratulations! Remember your body has been through a lot. Rest when you need to, keep up your fluids and Protein, stick to your plan!

Welcome aboard! The preop diet phase is, for many of us, the hardest hurdle in the journey. But we get through it. There are many good online resources and books about emotional eating, and I'd really recommend that you do as much work there as you can starting now. There are techniques you can learn to talk yourself off the "I gotta eat this NOW" cliff that will come in really handy, especialy in the early postop days when what you eat is so limited. As far as your depression, are you currently on medication? If you aren't, talk with your primary doctor about whether or not you need to start some preop. Many folks here find that a period of postop depression on being separated from (as one poster put it) "my best friend, food". It doesn't last long, but it can really throw you for a while. How soon is your surgery?

Search this site for "three week stall" and you will find that this is very, very comon. Nothing to worry about. Just keep following directions. Remember what your body has been through in the last three weeks! Give it time to catch it's breath. 33 lbs in three weeks is really significant, you're doing fine.

Six lbs a week isn't enough? I've lost a little more than 20 lbs in 6 weeks and I'm thrilled!

As a fresh postop, I wouldn't go near it. Seriously.

liquids like shakes and soup pass through your sleeve and into your small intestine quite quickly. You may have less swelling postop in your sleeve than many have (which is great, it means you can get your fluids in). You also need to remember that your sense of "full" is going to change. The goal now is "just enough". Many of us find that if we eat even one bite too many, we pay a price for it. Early on, because your stomach has been sliced, you may not get the same "full" signals you're used to.

What do the instructions from your surgeon say about raw fruits and vegetables?

An awful lot of us here use Premier Protein shakes, because you can get them at costco. They come in a box of 18. I can't remember how much they are per box, but under $1.50/shake.

I'm six weeks out today and haven't had a moment of real hunger. Not one.

I don't know that I'd believe the "3 days to recover and return to work in one week". Some people do, but by no means everyone. In terms of how complicated submitting to your insurance may or may not be, I'd speak directly with his coordinator on that aspect. Good luck!

No, you do not "need pizza". Your head is telling you it does, but it lies. Do you want to know what would happen if you actually tried to indulge that craving right now? first, you would probably only get down a bite, maybe two. Then it would hurt, like crazy. And then it would come back up. You did not do all the hard work you did to have surgery to let your head derail you now. You just had surgery. Your body needs rest, fluids, liquid nourishment (to avoid stressing your very swollen and healing tummy), and some walking. Honest, it doesn't "need" anything else. More than likely your head is trying to sell you on all the foods you know you can't even try for a while. Time for your rational side to tell your fanciful side to stop distracting you. You can do this. Really.

Give yourself some time to heal. You should be feeling a bit better each day. Getting in your fluids and Protein will get easier, too. Hang in there!

Give yourself some time to heal. You should be feeling a bit better each day. Getting in your fluids and Protein will get easier, too. hang in there!

I do know there are some insurers who will accept attendance at WW for their preop supervised diet requirement. You're right, I don't imagine they'd be too thrilled to hear you were planning on surgery. There is a terrific WW leader kind of near us, and we both went for a while, but I got super turned off by their endless marketing schemes - they tell you to eat healthy, and then you hit a display of their own brand of junk food as soon as you walk in the door.

Would you rather not have any insurance? Imagine paying for every dime of your healthcare without it.

At 23 days (or 2 weeks for the previous post), you are still awfully busy on the inside, recovering from major surgery. don't kid yourself cause you only have teeny incisions, there was major work involved. And your intake of calories is low. Combine the two, it's no wonder you haven't any energy. it's possible your "carbs are way too low". Surgeons differ widely on their postop recommendations re: carbohydrate, but your brain relies on carbohydrate alone for fuel. You need SOME carbs. I'm six weeks out today. I went back to work April 11. I still don't have my usual energy level, but I do notice with time and with the gradual increase in calories recommended by my surgeon (she wants me at 600-800 until week 8, then 800-1200 after that) that it's improving. This week is the first few days I haven't needed a nap after work + 1 hr. commute. Rest when you need to, and give your body time to heal.

Do you just run the business, or do you clean houses yourself? I went back to work after four weeks to a desk job. No way am I up for cleaning houses, and I'm six weeks today.

Leave the steri Strips alone, though. They're like mini pieces of strapping tape and they'll really hurt if you try to pull them off. As they begin to wear at the edges, you can trim those with scissors.

Stop. Stop. Stop. This isn't a stall, it's a normal postop course. Your body had major surgery. You have no idea how busy you are on the inside. And you're getting in not many nutrients yet. Let your body get over the trauma of surgery before you expect it to start shedding weight. I only lost 11 lbs my first two weeks out, at six weeks (tomorrow), that's now > 20 lbs. My best weeks for losing have been the past two - when my body is more healed, and I'm able to get closer to my calorie goal.

I didn't have any - my surgeon used Dermabond (surgical glue).

I like zoodles better just because it's such a pain to prepare spaghetti squash, getting out the seeds, squeezing the Water out after cooking, and all that. I sprinkle zoodles with salt and drain them a bit before sauteing them in a skillet. Great with shrimp & garlic!